I was really looking forward to this weekend, having just worked four straight days that seemed more like 40 after returning from vacation. And, yet, I filled it right up.

On Saturday, the alarm actually roused me mid-morning, allowing me time to loll on the couch with the cats with some tea before deciding how to spend the afternoon.

Laundry was washed and hung.

Floors were vacuumed.

I ventured down to Clinton, Maryland, to check out their cider doughnuts and, because they were fresh out of the oven, came away with a dozen for me and a dozen for Sarah. (My box may have been shorted slightly, since there definitely were not 12 doughnuts in there when my cinnamon-sprinkled shirt and I arrived home after dropping Sarah’s box off at her place.)

I also picked up adorable wee pumpkins, giant globular grapes, and a three-pound log of butter.

While Rudi went out to a party with cycley friends, I stayed home to knit and preview a couple of the new Christmas cds I picked up during vacation. At least a couple of tracks are possible contenders for my annual holiday mix.

This morning we were up and out early. A friend had flown into town to run the marathon and we were determined to catch him as he ran near our house. He was pleased (and probably a bit surprised) to see us.

The farmers market netted us a basket full of vegetables — the last of the green beans, ginger, leeks, and lots more — for tasty fall dishes.

After returning home for second breakfast (and a nap on my part), we ventured down to the garden. Rudi had pulled up the basil midweek when temperatures dipped into frosty territory, but we’ve left everything else. As you can see from the shot at the top of the post, we still have tons of tomatoes on the vine, and our lows are supposed to remain mild this week, giving them (and the peppers and tomatillos) a bit more time to ripen.

Then it was up to the local park, where a Halloween party was being held, and where our friends Susan and Phillip and their two children had agreed to meet us. We hung out and talked and played with the kids for a couple hours.

Then down to collect our bikes for the weekend’s coffeeneuring trip. My original goal for this event was to explore unfamiliar shops, so I suggested we head to Bar di Bari (1401 R St., N.W.), which opened over the summer on 14th Street.

Rudi picked up a latte and I some Earl Grey tea and then we remembered we hadn’t eaten in a long time and decided to add some food to our excursion. I opted for a cheese plate and fresh bread, while Rudi picked out a mushroom turnover and salad. It was all delicious, and the waitress handled our desire to sit outside with good-natured poise, even though I’m sure her arms chilled every time she came out to the table.

We read a bit, then biked home: a total of 3.2 miles over 21 minutes.

We concluded the weekend by listening to the Red Sox game after we tracked down an online stream. A nice come-from-behind victory proved they needed our support.